Augmented Reality Floods and Smoke Smartphone App Disaster Scope utilizing Real-time Occlusion

Natural disasters occur frequently in Japan. In the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011 and the heavy rain disaster at western Japan in 2018, many people didn't have the crisis consciousness enough to evacuate safely. We developed the augmented reality smartphone-application Disaster Scope that enables immersive experience in order to improve the crisis awareness of disasters in peacetime. The application can superimpose the occurrence situation of disasters such as CG floods and debris and fire smoke in the actual scenery, using only a smartphone and paper headset. By using a smartphone equipped with a 3D depth sensor, it is possible to sense the height from the ground and recognize surrounding objects. The real-time occlusion processing enabled using only by a smartphone. The collision detection of the real world's objects and CG debris is possible. The floods height and flow speed can be changed by each user's setting. As a result, it has become possible to understand more realistically the dangerous of floods and a fire smoke charge. We utilized this system in evacuation drills organized by elementary schools and municipalities. As a result of the survey and verification, it was very useful for improving crisis awareness of students and citizens.